Who is Omer Riza? Cardiff's continuity candidate stakes his claim

Omer Riza was reported to beryllium “hurt” and “very disappointed” erstwhile he mislaid his erstwhile occupation astatine Watford – and moreover felt he should person been fixed nan chance to go number 1 erstwhile they sacked their manager.

Now nan 44-year-old has nan chance to beryllium he is bully capable to onshore that domiciled astatine Cardiff City, having been appointed interim leader pursuing Erol Bulut’s dismissal.

Riza joined Bulut’s coaching unit successful nan summertime aft spending almost six years astatine Watford.

He mislaid his occupation pinch nan Hornets erstwhile they sacked Valerian Ismael arsenic manager. He had been promoted to adjunct first squad coach aft respective years successful nan club’s academy.

It was reported that Riza, who holds a Uefa Pro Coaching Licence, felt he deserved to win Ismael, external arsenic nan continuity campaigner astatine Vicarage Road, but Watford went connected to name Tom Cleverley arsenic their caller caput coach instead.

Riza, who started his playing profession astatine Arsenal successful nan Arsene Wenger years, is now being asked to bring that continuity to Cardiff, nevertheless briefly, by stepping into Bulut’s shoes while they hunt for a caller imperishable manager.

“Started my caller section and I’m very excited,” Riza posted connected societal networking tract LinkedIn erstwhile he joined nan Bluebirds successful June.

“The head and staff, players [and] fans person been great.

“When you look astatine what you want to achieve, you deliberation of each nan things that you request conscionable to beryllium capable to usability successful nan elite environment.

“Fundamentals for illustration tactical, strategical, knowing of transportation to peers and players. Working relationships wrong nan mini teams to go a full team.

“Preparation, organisation, communication.

“Honesty, humbleness, respect, humility and difficult work... cardinal successful my life and it will ne'er alteration arsenic it was really I was raised."

Cardiff fans will dream to perceive much circumstantial plans for addressing nan team’s hopeless convention position erstwhile he speaks to nan media for nan first clip earlier Saturday’s crippled astatine Hull City.

Supporters will dream he has immoderate ideas for rescuing a broadside stuck to nan bottommost of nan Championship pinch conscionable 1 constituent and 1 extremity from six games.

Certainly, thing should beryllium mislaid successful translation. Riza whitethorn beryllium of Turkish Cypriot descent, but he was calved successful northbound London and sounds very overmuch for illustration a Londoner.

He was constricted to a fistful of first-team appearances astatine Arsenal, but went connected to play for nan likes of West Ham, Barnet, Cambridge and respective non-league sides successful summation to spells astatine Turkish clubs Trabzonspor and Denizlispor.

Riza has plentifulness of coaching experience, but his only frontline guidance domiciled successful nan English Football League came pinch a caretaker spell astatine Leyton Orient successful 2017.